LambdaTest, a leading cloud-based software testing platform, has secured $38M in Series D funding to expand its technological capabilities and enhance its AI-driven offerings. The funding round, led by Avataar Ventures with participation from Qualcomm Ventures, brings the company’s total funding to $108M. LambdaTest plans to use this investment to strengthen its market presence and advance its automation tools.
The platform enables companies to test software on over 5,000 browser and operating system combinations without the need for costly, complex testing suites. With AI increasingly generating code, LambdaTest is addressing the demand for smarter testing solutions through innovations like KaneAI, an AI-powered tool that reduces manual effort in creating and managing test scripts by up to 70%.
LambdaTest also boasts HyperExecute, a high-speed testing solution that accelerates testing cycles and improves error detection efficiency. Additional features like flaky test identification and auto error categorisation enhance productivity for its 15,000 customers, including major enterprises across diverse industries.
As AI integration grows in software development, continuous testing is essential to maintain fast release cycles and reliable systems. With this new funding, LambdaTest aims to solidify its position as a transformative force in quality assurance, competing against established players like BrowserStack and SauceLabs.
Stainless, a New York-based startup, is transforming software development with its AI-driven platform that automatically generates software development kits (SDKs) from APIs. Founded by former Stripe engineer Alex Rattray, Stainless addresses the inefficiency developers face in creating SDKs manually, providing support for multiple programming languages like Python, Kotlin, and TypeScript. Its platform also ensures APIs remain updated, simplifying versioning and changelogs.
Attracting major clients such as OpenAI and Meta, Stainless claims its SDKs are downloaded millions of times weekly. Backed by $35 million in funding, including a recent $25 million Series A led by a16z, the company aims to expand its 20-person team and solidify its position in the API development space. Most of its revenue comes from enterprise customers paying for tailored services, driving its annual recurring revenue to $1 million and nearing profitability.
Rattray envisions Stainless as more than an SDK generator. The company plans to build a comprehensive developer platform addressing every aspect of API interaction, setting it apart from competitors like OpenAPI Generator and LibLab.
Yelp has launched a series of updates, including AI-powered review insights, a personalised home feed, and an upgraded inbox for business owners. These changes aim to enhance user experience and streamline business interactions.
The new AI review insights categorise feedback into food quality, service, and ambiance, each scored from 1 to 100 with sentiment ratings. Users can access relevant reviews directly through the app. Initially available for restaurant, food, and nightlife listings, the feature is exclusive to iOS users.
Business owners also benefit from a redesigned inbox to manage customer interactions more efficiently, reflecting Yelp‘s broader effort to support businesses and users alike.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is doubling down on AI to reshape its core search business, which generates the majority of its $300 billion annual revenue. At the Reuters NEXT conference in New York, Alphabet President Ruth Porat described AI as a ‘generational opportunity’ for the company, with tools like AI-generated query overviews aiming to make search more intuitive. However, challenges such as AI ‘hallucinations,’ where incorrect information is generated, remain a key hurdle.
Beyond search, Alphabet is channeling its AI expertise into healthcare advancements. Porat highlighted innovations like AlphaFold, which predicts protein structures to aid drug discovery, and AI tools that could prevent blindness or enhance the doctor-patient relationship by reducing screen time for medical professionals. These efforts reflect the company’s broader commitment to applying technology for societal benefits.
Alphabet’s financial investments in AI are substantial, with $50 billion projected in capital expenditures for 2024, including data centres and chips. Porat emphasised the need for these investments to yield tangible returns while shaping the future of both technology and human connection.
Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce satellite messaging capabilities to its smartwatch lineup in 2025. According to Bloomberg News, the feature may debut in the next version of the Apple Watch Ultra, allowing users to send messages without cellular or internet access. This development follows the company’s 2022 introduction of satellite communication on iPhones.
To support its satellite ambitions, Apple invested $1.5 billion in Globalstar in November, enhancing infrastructure for its satellite services. The move signals a broader push to integrate advanced connectivity options across its devices.
Health-focused features also remain a priority for Apple. The report highlights plans to add blood pressure monitoring to its smartwatch by 2025. However, this follows the launch of an Apple Watch model in September designed to detect conditions such as sleep apnoea and offer emergency responses.
Apple has not commented on the reports, but the company’s growing emphasis on health technology and connectivity could significantly expand the smartwatch’s utility for users.
Microsoft has revamped Copilot on Windows, introducing a floating quick view UI and a new keyboard shortcut. The updated feature, now described as a ‘native’ experience, allows users to trigger Copilot through the Alt + Space shortcut or the system tray. The floating quick view stays on top of other applications until dismissed or deactivated with the same shortcut.
The update is available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 users, despite ongoing plans to phase out Windows 10 by October 2025. It offers a simplified way to access Copilot, similar to Microsoft’s Companion apps for files and calendar management. However, the choice of the Alt + Space shortcut has raised concerns due to potential conflicts with other applications using the same command.
Copilot initially debuted as a sidebar in Windows 11 before being demoted to a basic web app. While Microsoft now labels the latest version as ‘native,’ it remains essentially a web view with enhanced functionality. Further refinements to keyboard shortcuts are being explored to address usability challenges.
Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament has approved a draft law to establish the legal framework for the digital som, a central bank digital currency set to modernise the nation’s financial system. Overseen by the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan, the currency will undergo prototype testing in early 2025, with full implementation expected by January 2027.
The digital som will function as legal tender and be issued exclusively by the central bank through a secure, centralised platform. The system promises accessibility through features supporting online and offline transactions, enabling usage even in areas with limited connectivity. However, the feasibility of offline functionality remains a global concern for central banks.
Public discussions on constitutional changes to accommodate the digital currency began in August. Unlike many central bank initiatives, Kyrgyzstan’s model does not rely on blockchain but instead incorporates smart contracts whilst maintaining centralised oversight.
Italy is set to begin trials in January to evaluate the feasibility of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite network for enhancing high-speed internet coverage. The initiative aims to address delays in meeting broadband targets set under the EU Recovery Plan. With only one-third of targeted buildings currently connected, satellite solutions like Starlink could complement fibre-optic networks to provide coverage in remote regions.
The pilot, expected to conclude by March, will assess whether combining satellite and fibre systems can deliver the required 1-gigabit-per-second speeds. Starlink’s low-latency broadband already serves 55,000 users in Italy, but previous trials failed to meet peak-speed benchmarks. Opposition parties, however, have raised cybersecurity concerns over involving a non-EU provider like Starlink, proposing legislative amendments to limit its role in Italy‘s internet infrastructure.
If successful, the plan could deploy Starlink gateways in remote areas, facilitating fibre operators to connect the final stretch to homes, potentially saving time and reducing costs in achieving coverage goals.
Morris Chang, the founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), has criticised Intel’s former CEO Pat Gelsinger for focusing on becoming a contract chipmaker rather than prioritising AI. Speaking at an event to launch his autobiography, Chang suggested that Intel’s strategy under Gelsinger may have lacked direction, noting the company’s struggles in regaining leadership in chip manufacturing.
Gelsinger’s departure earlier this month followed frustrations over slow progress on Intel’s costly foundry initiative. Chang observed that finding a new CEO and strategy would present significant challenges for the company. He also recalled Intel’s historical missteps, such as rejecting an invitation to invest in TSMC during its early years, only to become a key customer later.
Intel’s foundry ambitions led to strained relationships with partners, including TSMC. Chang described Gelsinger as ‘a bit rude’ during his tenure, with reports of lost contracts compounding the company’s struggles. Intel has not commented on these remarks.
Reddit has introduced a new AI-powered feature, Reddit Answers, designed to streamline users’ search for information across the platform. The tool analyses posts and provides summarised responses to user questions, accompanied by links to relevant communities and discussions. Currently, in its testing phase, Reddit Answers is accessible in English to select users in the United States, with plans to expand globally.
The initiative reflects Reddit‘s ambition to rival search engines and AI platforms like OpenAI‘s ChatGPT by leveraging its community-driven content. During the third quarter, Reddit reported a 47% surge in daily active unique visitors, reaching 97.2 million. The platform also saw a 14% increase in its average revenue per user, now at $3.58.
By offering curated responses from its vast user-generated knowledge base, Reddit aims to enhance usability while staying competitive in the evolving AI and search landscape.
